Plus, new member benefits and opportunities are added every day! What’s your idea for a better community? We’d love to hear. Contact us today to discuss ideas for new resources or services to make it easier to think local first.

February2018

Join the businesses of downtown WRJ in celebrating the first Friday of the month! It changes every month but there is always something fun going on. Wine tastings, fashion shows, art exhibits, kids crafts, live music and so much more. Kim Souza, of the amazing store Revolution, is usually instrumental in announcing the line up so for more info send an email to info@shoptherev.com or go to www.shoptherev.com

Find a local business

Our program is underwritten by these community partners

Vital Communities Program News

Registration is open for the 17th annual Flavors of the Valley, the Upper Valley’s premier local food tasting expo. With 50+ vendors and more than 800 attendees, Flavors is a valuable marketing opportunity for farms and food businesses looking ...more

I am so excited to announce the 2018 mini-grant program at Upper Valley Farm to School! We have funding focused on both Vermont and New Hampshire schools. Start dreaming up your farm-to-school projects - we ...more

Re-making our transportation system will shift us toward better, cleaner, and more equitable living.
Imagine useful, affordable, and accessible village centers and downtowns with a variety of services, housing, and jobs. Where many people of ...more

Celebrate the hot, new eatery in White River Junction
as Local First Alliance
Business of the Month in January!
Visit Trail Break taps + tacos January 11-25, give them a high five for being the BOM, and get a free chips ...more

Registration is open for the 17th annual Flavors of the Valley, the Upper Valley’s premier local food tasting expo. With 50+ vendors and more than 800 attendees, Flavors is a valuable marketing opportunity for farms and food businesses looking ...more

Weatherize Round Two kicks off this month across the Upper Valley region.
What is Weatherize?
Vital Communities partners community volunteer teams with local contractors to help Weatherize participants complete cost-effective home energy improvements. These upgrades save residents money on ...more

Every year, all completed Super Quests are entered into a grand prize drawing. The winner/winning team is picked at the annual Vital Communities Open House in White River Junction. At the event this past Friday, ...more

This summer, Vital Communities launched a special Valley Quest initiative known as the Watershed Quest Challenge. Through this fun, educational contest, we challenged individuals and teams (including school classes) to write a Valley Quest about any river, stream, pond, ...more

​Working together to empower home buyers and sellers throughout the Upper Valley to understand home energy costs and invest in energy efficiency.
Over 50 real estate professionals from across the Upper Valley will gather on January ...more

This fall, Vital Communities' Transportation Program collaborated with Go! Vermont to develop a one-page guide to transportation in the Upper Valley, with a focus on the Vermont side.
This new resource allows you to see what transportation options you ...more

Not sure when and where to catch Advance Transit or if the bus is on time? Download the Advance Transit Real Time App or check the Where’s My Bus? function on AdvanceTransit.com.
It Works!
Read our blog ...more

Vital Communities celebrated its Leadership Upper Valley Class of 2017 on June 14, in a commencement ceremony at Harpoon Brewery. Thirty of the region’s emerging local leaders graduated from the 10-month professional and personal development ...more

Thank you all for joining us to celebrate the young leaders who are being honored tonight, and thank you to Vital Communities for recognizing their important contributions to our community. It is so important to ...more

Merritt Patridge
Merritt Patridge joined the Tuck School of Business in 2015, where she serves as Executive Director of the Center for Business, Government & Society. Prior to Tuck, Merritt worked at The Dartmouth Center ...more

Staff

VITAL COMMUNITIES

Local First Alliance is a program of Vital Communities. Vital Communities’ work is at the heart of a vibrant Upper Valley region. We bring citizens, organizations, and municipalities together to address issues where an independent voice and regional approach are essential. Learn more about our other programs.